It wasn’t what I was expecting, but I liked learning how they met, etc… and I loved Jacks monologue at the end. I was screaming at Rebecca to get up and go after him.
Wow, I really liked this episode a lot unlike the rest of you. I thought it was very honest about the portrayal of the breakdown of their marriage. Now that Kate is not just taking care of Kevin, it seems she is examining her life and her relationship with both parents.
I also liked the back story on Jack and the Viet vet status and found the way they met cute and interesting.
We don’t know that Rebecca won’t go after Jack. That could be how season 2 starts.
Question: Was Jack’s blind date supposed to be with Rebecca? Was Rebecca’s blind date with Ethan really supposed to be with Jack?
I read that it’s been renewed for 2 more seasons.
@brantly, No, I don’t think they were supposed to meet on the blind date. Jack was getting set up by an elderly neighbor, and he was supposed to make the arrangements for the date. Rebecca was getting set up by a girl friend to potentially have a date to another friend’s wedding, so the circumstances were too different.
This was a hot/cold episode for me. I did enjoy seeing how they met and, of course, Jack’s ultra-romantic speech at the end. I like that Jack was right about the lecherous ex-boyfriend because I thought Rebecca was being way too naive and not respecting her husband’s feelings on the issue. I liked that Rebecca walked away from her singing gig to take care of Jack. And although it was hard to watch, I thought the fight was well done and realistic.
However, I thought the whole gambling premise to show the Jack was headed down a bad path (and meeting Rebecca saved him) was kind of lame. I can see two young men trying to make some quick cash by gambling the first time. But planning to steal money out of cash register? I don’t know. It seemed contrived. I think there are other ways the writers could have gotten Jack and Rebecca in the same place at the same time.
And I just sat there at the end of the show wondering why Rebecca didn’t stop Jack from leaving after that speech. I get that they are hurt and they need to work on their marriage. But I didn’t understand what was so horrible that they couldn’t work out with Jack staying in the house.
Re my confusion a few pages back on Rebecca’s age:
In this episode, when Jack was at the height of his jerkiness, he screamed at Rebecca that she was 40 years old singing in a cover band, she had no chance at a career. If she had really been 30 when she gave birth to Kate and Kevin, then she would have been 46 at that point, and I don’t think Jack was in a mood to be kind enough to shave 6 years off her age in that argument.
My conclusion: The scripts have been inconsistent about Rebecca’s age. Who would believe that? She’s either 66 (or 67) or 60 (maybe 61) now. And maybe a slightly different age will pop up next season.
Mandy Moore is supposedly 32. (There may be a bit of fiction in that. But there can’t be too much – she has been in the public eye since she was – supposedly – 14. It’s unlikely she’s more than a couple years older.) She does seem, to me, most natural when she is playing a young mother, but I think she does a pretty good job of 40-something, too. I’m certain she will be more of a knockout at 60 than they let Rebecca be.
^^Re: Rebecca’s age. I saw Mandy Moore on a morning show, maybe Today, last week and she talked about playing a character from her 20’s to 66 this season. Last night’s remark from Jack about her being 40 certainly isn’t consistent with that. Maybe saying “forty” fit better in the flow of the argument dialogue than saying “forty-six”.
Actor discuss the finale -milo and Mandy had to separate during the filming of the fight. Very tense on set.
http://ew.com/tv/2017/03/15/this-is-us-milo-ventimiglia-finale-moonshadow/
I’m thrilled that the season didn’t end with Jack dying. As MOWC says, we know he dies. I like that we are going to get more of Jack and Rebecca’s story.
I’m actually really ok that it wasn’t a big dramatic ending. I like them all too much and emotionally I’m ok with gliding into next season with some new beginnings - beginnings that may or may not take shape.
Question - was that Miguel that Jack was with at the poker game? I didn’t catch the name Jack called him (and clearly was “looking” more at Jack then the other young guy) but when the guy went in the phone booth it dawned on me that this character resembled Miguel.
Watched the EW clip - totally agree with Milo - I want more to know how Jack lived than how he died. Especially since we know he died.
Also I meant to say above…I felt ticked at Rebecca for asking Jack to leave for awhile. 24 hours earlier she was happy to leave - wanted to leave for her opportunity. If she is so “dead” in her role as mother and wife - and I agree with him that he seems to be more emotionally connected to the kids…why didn’t she “leave for awhile”? Or, no one?
I was also kind of glad the band dude made a move on Rebecca - JACK KNEW IT WOULD HAPPEN! Keep that in mind Rebecca - he predicted that!!!
For me, it was irrelevant that the band guy made a move on Rebecca. The important thing is how Rebecca RESPONDED to the move. She responded just as we would hope she would. Jealousy is never pretty and the issue is Jack’s jealousy. Rebecca has never given him any reason (that we’re aware of) to be jealous so imo he was just out of line.
Jack fell right off the pedestal for me when he drove drunk. I think it’s a reprehensible thing to do. His nasty jealousy was just the icing on the cake. So much for Saint Jack (and about time–the portrayal was getting cloying). I also couldn’t manage much empathy for his feeling that he had sacrificed tremendously to be a husband and father, especially since he was the one who wanted kids (Rebecca was the reluctant one) and the one who came up with the idea of adopting Randall. His “sacrifice” was just the normal stuff parents have to do for their families, and his negative reaction to Rebecca’s desire to spend a couple of weeks doing something she loved was just ugly. (And let’s not forget Jack’s blind date–he humiliated her and embarrassed the ladies who set it up. Yup, a hard fall off that pedestal.)
I watched The Voice just before this episode, and every time a contestant came on who’d been trying unsuccessfully to make it as a singer for years and was now thirty-something, I’d say to myself, “Too late–it’s not gonna happen, time to get real, give it up, and commit to Plan B!” And then along came Kate deciding to embark on a singing career in her mid-thirties with, so far as we know, no history of vocal training or performing. Unless her plan is to sing in old-age homes up and down the California coast, or the writers come up with some ridiculous Cinderella story for her, it’s not happening for Kate either. Kind of a silly plot line, but they’ve never known how to make Kate’s story interesting. (I read a review today that said the show is only 50% good–when it focuses on Randall’s family and on Jack/Rebecca, it does a fine job, but it just wanders aimlessly when it comes to Kate and Kevin.)
@abasket, the poker game pal wasn’t Miguel. His name was mentioned, though it escapes me now.
I prefer not to over analyze my entertainment.
The poker game friend was not a vivid character, but they definitely snuck his name in so we would know it wasn’t Miguel.
We knew Jack wasn’t a saint from the earlier episodes with his earlier drinking problem, and also from his uncontrolled jealousy about the band ex-boyfriend. Twenty years (or so) into a marriage, it’s well past time to stop worrying about the people your partner chose you over.
I believe the poker pal’s name is Darryl or Darren. Definitely not Miguel.
Thanks for clearing up the poker pal - I didn’t think I heard “Miguel” but later when I looked at him I thought he surely could have been a young Miguel.
IMO, she did. In not telling Jack that she and the band guy used to be an item she gave him a reason to worry.
Frankly…I think the band guy had reason to think he’d succeed with Rebecca. I think the only reason he asked her to be part of the band was that he wanted to rekindle something. Then he finds out that she didn’t tell Jack that they were GF/BF. Then as a 40–or 46–year old woman, she agrees to go on a tour with him. He probably sensed her mood–bored with her life, not thrilled with her marriage–and figured he had good odds of getting involved with her.
During the argument, Jack says it’s about the fact she lied to him. I know that these are fictional characters, but I buy that.
Given that it’s fiction it’s kind of hard to judge, but I wonder if we’d feel differently if Rebecca had died and Jack had been the surviving parent.
Not sure what you mean oldmom? About the lying or the going off to be a musician at age 40 (or 46)?